Portable Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A portable refrigerator includes a main housing having opposed top and bottom walls, opposed side walls extending therebetween, and a rear wall. The main housing defines an interior space and an open front. A door is pivotally coupled to one of the side walls and movable between a closed configuration covering the open front and an open configuration. The refrigerator includes a motor for maintaining the interior space at a temperature lower than an ambient air temperature outside the interior space. A first pair of wheels is rotatably coupled to a rear end of the housing and a second pair of wheels is pivotally coupled to a front end thereof. A length adjustable handle is coupled to the rear wall of the main housing and movable between retracted and extended configurations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to refrigeration devices and, more particularly, to a portable and mobile refrigerator.

College students may move into and out of housing such as a dormitory or apartment one or more times per year, each time moving clothing, small furniture and, more frequently in recent years, a compact refrigerator. Small refrigerators have become quite popular for dormitory living in that they are just large enough to hold enough food items for one or two persons while occupying a relatively small amount of space. However, moving even a compact refrigerator can be difficult as such an item is still quite heavy, awkward, and may require a furniture dolly.

Various devices have been proposed in the prior art for moving small refrigerators or otherwise modifying a traditional small refrigerator to make it more mobile. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing or proposed devices are either still heavy and difficult to move without another lifting or moving device or take up too much space when the refrigerator is at rest.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a portable refrigerator that is mobile and may be moved easily without use of any other furniture moving device. Further, it would be desirable to have a portable refrigerator that maintains its streamlined configuration so as to take up the minimal amount of space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable refrigerator according to the present invention includes a main housing having opposed top and bottom walls, opposed side walls extending therebetween, and a rear wall. The main housing defines an interior space and an open front. A door is pivotally coupled to one of the side walls and movable between a closed configuration covering the open front and an open configuration revealing the open front. A cooling mechanism is situated in the interior space for maintaining the interior space at a temperature lower than an ambient air temperature outside the interior space. A first pair of wheels is rotatably coupled to a rear end of the housing and a second pair of wheels is pivotally coupled to a front end of the housing. The refrigerator includes a length adjustable handle having an upper handle grip, the handle being coupled to the rear wall of the main housing and slidably movable between a retracted configuration parallel to the rear wall with the handle grip situated beneath the top wall and an extended configuration in which the handle grip is extended above the top wall.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a portable refrigerator that may be moved easily, quickly, and without use of any auxiliary carrying or lifting device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable refrigerator that includes a streamlined configuration and takes up a minimal amount of floor space.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a portable refrigerator, as aforesaid, that is easy to operate.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a portable refrigerator, as aforesaid, that is economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable compact refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the portable compact refrigerator as in FIG. 1 with the handle in an extended configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the portable compact refrigerator as in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the portable compact refrigerator as in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A portable compact refrigerator according to a preferred embodiment of the present device will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the accompanying drawings.

The portable refrigerator 10 includes a main housing 12 having a plurality of walls that define an interior space configured so as to receive and contain food and beverage items in a cooled environment. More particularly, the housing 12 includes opposed top 14 and bottom 16 wall with opposed side walls 18 and a rear wall 22 extending between the top 14 and bottom 16 walls. The rear wall 22 is situated to connect the side walls 18 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The walls described above define the housing interior space as well as a generally open front for accessing the interior space (not shown). The housing 12 includes a door 28 that is pivotally coupled to a front edge of one side wall 18 for pivotal movement between open and closed configurations. In the closed configuration (shown in the Figures), the open front is covered whereas in an open configuration (not shown), the open front is revealed through which the interior space may be accessed so as to insert or remove items therein. The door 28 may include a door handle 30 which is preferably recessed into a top edge thereof (FIG. 1).

Preferably, the housing 12 includes traditional refrigeration equipment, such as a fan/motor, condenser coil, evaporator coil, and coolant line (not shown). These elements are not shown in the drawings as they are traditional in substantially all refrigerators and are implied in the present invention. The means for cooling the housing 12 maintains air inside the interior space at a temperature below that of ambient air outside the interior space. The rear wall 22 may include a plurality of vent openings 26 in communication with the cooling means.

The portable refrigerator 10 includes a first pair of spaced apart wheels 32 axially coupled to lower edges of respective side walls 18 of the housing 12 and are situated at a rear end 13 of the housing 12 (FIG. 2). The first pair of wheels 32 may alternatively be coupled to the rear wall 22 or bottom wall 16 of the housing 12. It is understood that the first pair of wheels 32 is not directionally pivotal but rather are fixed for straight line movement as if they were connected by an axle, although an axle may not actually extend therebetween.

A second pair of spaced apart wheels 34 is pivotally coupled to a front end 15 of the housing 12. Preferably, the second pair of wheels 34 is mounted to the bottom wall 16 and each wheel is directionally movable such that portable refrigerator 10 may be “steered” when pushed. Each of the second pair of wheels 34 may be a castor wheel that is movable in a 360 degree radius.

Preferably, each of the first pair of wheels 32 includes a larger diameter than each of the second pair of wheels 34 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Accordingly, the housing 12 may include a recess into the bottom wall 16 configured to receive the first pair of wheels, respectively, such that the housing 12 remains level despite the difference in wheel diameters.

The portable refrigerator 10 includes a length adjustable handle 36 having a bottom end and a top end 38 (FIG. 2). The handle 36 includes a handle grip 40 at the top end 38 and a tubular rod 42 extending downwardly from the handle grip. A dual rod configuration as shown in FIG. 2 is preferred for stability and strength although a single rod configuration would also work in some embodiments. Preferably, the rear wall 22 defines a channel 24 extending downwardly from the top wall 14 substantially to the bottom wall 16, the channel 24 having an upper opening configured to slidably receive the handle rod 42 into the channel 24. The handle 36 is movable between a retracted configuration in which the rod 42 is substantially received in the channel with the handle grip 40 being generally hidden from view at or below the top wall 14 and an extended configuration in which the rod 42 is substantially extended from the channel 24 and above the top wall 14. Further, the length adjustable handle 36 includes a locking member 44 for selectively maintaining the length adjustable handle at the extended configuration.

Each side wall 18 of the portable refrigerator 10 includes an auxiliary handle 20 adjacent the top wall 14 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Preferably, each auxiliary handle 20 is recessed into a respective side wall 18 such that the portable refrigerator 10 may be positioned against a wall of a room without interference by the auxiliary handle 20.

In use, the portable refrigerator 10 may be moved conveniently, such as in and out of an apartment or dormitory room. With the length adjustable handle 36 raised to the extended configuration and releasably locked, the housing 12 may be tipped backwards onto the first pair of wheels 32 (rear wheels) such that the portable refrigerator 10 may act as its own dolly. Once moved to a desired location, the housing 12 may be turned with more fine movements that are possible with the smaller castor type second pair of wheels 34.

It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof. 

1. A portable refrigerator, comprising: a main housing having opposed top and bottom walls, opposed side walls extending between said top and bottom walls, a rear wall connecting said opposed side walls and extending between said top and bottom walls; wherein said main housing defines an interior space and an open front; a door pivotally coupled to one of said side walls and movable between a closed configuration covering said open front and an open configuration revealing said open front; refrigeration means maintaining said interior space at a temperature lower than an ambient air temperature outside said interior space; a first pair of wheels rotatably coupled to a rear end of said housing; a second pair of wheels pivotally coupled to a front end of said housing; and a length adjustable handle having an upper handle grip, said handle coupled to said rear wall of said main housing and movable between a retracted configuration parallel to said rear wall with said handle grip situated beneath said top wall and an extended configuration in which said handle grip is extended above said top wall.
 2. The portable refrigerator as in claim 1, wherein each said side wall includes an auxiliary handle situated adjacent an upper edge thereof.
 3. The portable refrigerator as in claim 2 wherein each auxiliary handle is a recess inset into a respective wall.
 4. The portable refrigerator as in claim 1, wherein: said rear wall includes a channel extending from said top wall substantially to said bottom wall, said channel defining an open upper end; said length adjustable handle includes at least one tubular rod extending downwardly from said handle grip into said channel, said at one tubular rod being substantially received in said channel at said retracted configuration and being substantially extended above said channel at said extended configuration.
 5. The portable refrigerator as in claim 4, wherein said length adjustable handle includes a locking member for selectively maintaining said length adjustable handle at said extended configuration.
 6. The portable refrigerator as in claim 1, wherein said first pair of wheels is larger than said second pair of wheels.
 7. The portable refrigerator as in claim 6, wherein said each of said second pair of wheels are castor wheels.
 8. The portable refrigerator as in claim 5, wherein said door includes a lid handle.
 9. The portable refrigerator as in claim 2, wherein said door includes a lid handle.
 10. The portable refrigerator as in claim 1, wherein said refrigeration means include a plurality of vent openings extending through said rear wall. 